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What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! - Jobs/Vacancies - Nairaland

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What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by ogedanny: 3:56pm On Jan 27, 2015
There is no shortage of resources online that help you how to write a perfect resume. First there is no perfect resume sample or format so don’t waste your energies in copying a sample resume available online. It has be relevant and to make it relevant it has to be designed according to the job applied.

So I cannot tell you how you can write an excellent resume for the specific job you are applying. But I can show you what an excellent resume really looks like. So cut the chase and here is a sample resume with the points highlighted. Why each and every point is important and is explained later.



0 – Get the basics right!

Get the formatting correct. No headers or footers. That white space is your total real estate to prove yourself. Don’t waste it.
Get punctuation correct and be very careful not to make spelling mistakes. Imagine you are wearing fancy new white suit and have red ink stains on it. Yikes!
No images. Unless you are going for modeling.
No fancy colored infestation. Make it all black.
Divide each section with sleek margin/border/line.
Justified! Make descriptions justified!
Most importantly! DON’T USE PRONOUNS! Can’t really emphasize it more.
1 – Single > Double

If you have more than one contact numbers and emails, choose one for your resume and job hunt and mention just that one. That way it is not confusing the hunter and also you know which cell phone never to turn off.

Select that cell phone which is available with you and will stay with you even if you switch jobs i.e. your personal contact number.

Same applies for email address give the one that is your personal. You don’t have to show which company you are working for by giving your official email address. Also make sure that most of your social accounts are based on same email address so that if employer search for you e.g. on linkedin or facebook then he can find your profile easily. You can maintain formal accounts on social websites and have usual account separate where you like to be free.

2 – Include link to online profile/resume

Time has changed and job hunting process has shifted significantly. Now a days people rely on online profiles like on linkedin.com where they can have access to almost all the information they need. The more employer reads about you, more chances you have to get recruited. It not only make recruiters work less tiring but also better as almost everyone can access these websites from anywhere instead of reviewing your resume on paper alone.

3 – What you have > What you want

Are you still using objective statements on your resume? Are you living in 80s? Drop it already!

Put yourself in the shoes of employer and ask yourself if you are really interested in knowing what you want to be. Trust me no one cares or even have time to read about what you want in your life. Each and every employer is interested in one thing and one thing only how can you be good for him/her in today’s date!

Have a look at the sample resume above. Instead of “Pursuing top level position in blah blah industry” tell what you are doing these days. Make a summary of task you are skilled up to this day and then instead of explaining each and every capability just include them in points so that recruiters can go over them really quickly. Everyone knows what inventory management is you don’t need to explain that.

And don’t forget to make your executive summary justified. It only takes one extra click but make your resume much more balanced and pleasing to read instead of everything falling to the left.

4 – Use keywords as your capabilities

You are living in digital age and 99% of the time you have to send your resume in digital form like pdf or word file at recruiter’s email address. Almost all the recruiters put your file in a database and whenever they are searching for candidates they run a query on that database and it pulls the resumes or CVs that has certain keywords like project management, accountant, analyst etc.

That has made the lives of employees simpler too. Instead of giving long details of your capabilities just mention them in the form of keywords. That helps recruiters skim easily and also increases your chances to get your resume picked by the database engine.

5 – Description of organization you worked for

If the company is local to employer then probably even the name will suffice but adding a line or two long description of each of the organization you worked for will save the employer some search to understand what it is about and how you fit there. If you don’t know what to write then visit about us section of your employer’s website and copy something relevant from there. Again! It shouldn’t be too long and must be justified instead of left aligned.

Bonus: If you have worked for more than one organization then have them listed with the latest employer first and the earliest employer last i.e. reverse chronological order. That helps recruiter where you are right now and how you progressed to this place over a period of time.

6 – What you do instead what you are supposed to do

Instead of putting whole job description its better if you write what you actually did or doing so that you can discuss the same if you are asked in the interview. Your experience section must not look like long list of JDs. Instead in few words wrap the whole thing and make it one sweet package that is precisely hinting on key responsibilities.

Your description itself should be action driven i.e. use action words like managed, supervised, designed etc instead of describing the whole thing like an essay. No! You have limited space and time to convince recruiter. Use it wisely.

7 – Quantified list of achievements

It looks superfluous if your are highlighting something as your achievement and not giving a yard stick to measure if it really is an achievement. Instead of saying “saved inventory costs by significant margin” give it a number and give a ballpark estimate of how much savings were in real like “saved inventory costs by 2 million”. Ideally it should be in the format like quantity followed by action or action followed by quantity. Numbers impress better than words.

8 – List education after experience

Experience exceeds education and same applies for resume. List education after experience unless you are fresh graduate with no experience at all. You don’t have to list the whole lot of education starting from your high school to graduation or post graduation. Only list the latest-highest-relevant education on the resume. You can list certifications as well only if they are relevant to the job you are applying for.

And if you are really good in academics like you scored GPA of 3.0 or more than list it for sure.

You don’t need to include what you studied in the course. These days the curriculum of every university is almost the same and just by looking at course content you cannot judge the candidate’s capabilities except few cases.

9 – Only relevant skills ONLY!

Don’t stuff your resume with all the skills you know. Just stick with the requirements of the job and only list that are relevant for the job applied.

10 – Don’t say “References if requested”

Everyone knows that you will provide references if recruiter or employer asks for it so no need to include it. Its unnecessary rather useless.

http://pakaccountants.com/how-excellent-resume-looks-like-and-why/

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Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Esmeraldus: 5:01pm On Jan 27, 2015
Thank you for the tip off. Now i know how to arrange my CV. Please could you give a sample of a customer care Cv.
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Johninyang(m): 5:06pm On Jan 27, 2015
Waoh! A good write up @ogadanny. Can you make a professional resume for me? Please pm me
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by ogedanny: 5:41pm On Jan 27, 2015
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Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Slickbishop(m): 6:14pm On Jan 27, 2015
could u pls send me a standard format of a customer service officer cv? uncrownthegenius@yahoo.com

1 Like

Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Kimmo(f): 7:18pm On Jan 27, 2015
Very helpful. Thank you.
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by jerome263: 7:31pm On Jan 27, 2015
following
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Valentinooo: 10:14pm On Jan 27, 2015
Thanks for this great piece
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Nobody: 11:46pm On Jan 27, 2015
The OP even added a sample of a professional CV yet some of una still dey ask am to do CV for una. Please don't be lazy.

21 Likes

Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Benjom(m): 12:17am On Jan 28, 2015
...It's good
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Mucokey(m): 4:19am On Jan 28, 2015
Analytically concise cool

1 Like 1 Share

Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by ogedanny: 8:08am On Jan 28, 2015
Thanks @all
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by EverestdeBliu(m): 8:22am On Jan 28, 2015
12th to comment...happy mid-week.
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by sophtaf(f): 8:23am On Jan 28, 2015
.
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by reaky(m): 8:23am On Jan 28, 2015
Watching
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Nobody: 8:24am On Jan 28, 2015
Nice one. I have to update
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by georgio(m): 8:24am On Jan 28, 2015
Nice one....big ups man
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Sijo01(f): 8:24am On Jan 28, 2015
Jah bless you op.
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Nobody: 8:24am On Jan 28, 2015
Excellent CV na referral and connection,


Others na possible suya paper, worse still, them shait for bush and use am clean nyassh

Na God dey give the work.


OP, nice one! Oya collect orijin.

2 Likes

Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by datbay(m): 8:25am On Jan 28, 2015
Nice one op......God bless you
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by EmmaOgbu(m): 8:25am On Jan 28, 2015
Ok
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Nobody: 8:25am On Jan 28, 2015
.
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by babyfaceafrica: 8:26am On Jan 28, 2015
Nice analysis..but you did not mention one thing,which is we are in nigeria even without a CV you can get a great job ...all you need is connectiosn but spiritual and physical

1 Like

Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by senator5050(m): 8:28am On Jan 28, 2015
das correct Thank you
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Sanchez01: 8:28am On Jan 28, 2015
Imanuelle:
Excellent CV na referral and connection,


Others na possible suya paper, worse still, them shait for bush and use am clean nyassh

Na God dey give the work.
I was enjoying the posts until I got to yours. Bro, you no well, abeg!!! grin grin grin

1 Like

Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by aniagoluaustin(m): 8:29am On Jan 28, 2015
this should be on my opera mini saved pages..nice 1
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by CeeJay419(m): 8:29am On Jan 28, 2015
Nice.
I'm indepted to you for this cute knowleged acquired. .......Cj
Re: What An Excellent CV Looks Like And Know The Reasons Why! by Jostico: 8:31am On Jan 28, 2015
i strongly belive before today runs down good topics will pass by

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